Or HaLev faculty and staff are dedicated to the mission of transforming Jews, Judaism and the world through contemplative Jewish practice.
"I felt so safe and held that words truly do not do the experience justice."
- Einat, 23
"I am truly grateful for all of the beautiful souls that accompanied me on this journey into our own unique expression of the divine. I am especially grateful to our incredible teachers who seem to have endless compassion and kindness for everyone."
Our Team
Hailing from around the world, Or HaLev faculty believe that Judaism is a source of deep wisdom, which, when applied, can be used to transform ourselves, our communities , our world and our Creator. Long-time students of the practice, our faculty are committed to sharing the fruits of this rich tradition with the world.
Rabbi Dr. James Jacobson Maisels, Founder and CEO
Rav James directs the vision of Or HaLev & is a devotee of mindfulness practice. Ordained by Rav Daniel Landes, with a doctorate in Jewish Studies from the University of Chicago, Rav James lectures internationally on Jewish Spiritual practices. He also teaches at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, Haifa University & Yeshivat Hadar. He strives to integrate his study with his practice, & to help teach & live Judaism as a spiritual discipline.
Email - james@orhalev.org
Rabbi Sara Brandes, Executive Director
Rabbi Sara Brandes was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary and brings experience from the pulpit and non-profit worlds to Or HaLev. Past California Director at Moving Traditions and former Associate Rabbi at the Malibu Jewish Center, Sara is a lifetime spiritual seeker and a certified yoga instructor. Based in Israel, she continues to serve as Rabbi-in-Residence to the Camp Alonim community in Los Angeles.
Email - sara@orhalev.org
Dr. Aviva Berkovich-Ohana
Dr. Aviva Berkovich-Ohana is a neuroscientist and a senior lecturer at the University of Haifa. Her research interests focus on the effects of various forms of meditation on consciousness, cognition and self-reference, as well as the possible applications to the field of Education. This work bridges her interest in the natural sciences, with her deep personal exploration of consciousness, through diverse religious philosophies (mainly Judaism and Buddhism) and fervent practice of meditation since 1995. A TOVANA meditation instructor.
Email - avivabo@edu.haifa.ac.il
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Daniel Yoel Cohen
Danny graduated from the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania and pursued study of Torah and wisdom in a variety of yeshivot and institutions in Israel, the U.S., India, Nepal, and Mexico, as well as through the modern worlds of psychology/psychotherapy and transformative change work, and grounded in daily practice of meditation, prayer, and regular intensive retreat. His web site is http://www.thelivingheart.life
Email - livetheheart@gmail.com
Genevieve Greinetz, Rabbinic Intern
A student at Hebrew College Rabbinical School, Genevieve holds an M.A. from Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. She is a certified yoga teacher and worked as an organic farmer, studied Chinese tea, is a published poet and founding editor of an up-and-coming inter-cultural journal. Genevieve is intrigued by the whole gamut of human experience.
Danit Kaya
Danit Kaya is a California native, a Certified Mindfulness Facilitator through UCLA’s Semel Institute and regularly facilitates workshops and retreats for diverse ethnic, faith and professional backgrounds, including small businesses and large corporations such as Twentieth Century Fox Entertainment, MGM Hotels, and Mattel. She is also a private academic tutor and coach and works with clients on building positive learning experiences with a focus on math, writing, and school-based anxiety. She is currently passionate about creating Jewish mindfulness spaces and hosts Dharma Drash, a monthly melding of Jewish spirituality and mindfulness practices.
Rabbi Batsheva Meiri
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Dr. Mira Neshama Niculescu
Dr. Mira Neshama Niculescu is a Paris-born scholar and teacher of Jewish spirituality and Meditation. She earned a Ph.D. in Sociology of Religion at Ecole de Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris (EHESS). A certified Jewish Mindfulness Teacher with the Institute for Jewish Spirituality (IJS), Mira is an orthodox smicha Fellow at the Yeshiva Har’El in Jerusalem.
Web Form Contact - miraneshama.com/contact
Rabbi Dorothy Richman
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Rabbi Jeff Roth, Awakened Heart Project
Rabbi Jeff Roth, D. Div. is the founder & Director of the Awakened Heart Project for Contemplative Judaism. He has led countless meditation retreats over the last 17 years. He was the co-founder of Elat Chayyim where he served as Executive Director & Spiritual Director for 13 years. He is the author of Jewish Meditation Practices for Everyday Life. He lives with his family in the Hudson River Valley.
Email - info@awakenedheartproject.org
Daphna Rosenberg
Musical Director at Nava Tehilah, a innovative Jerusalem prayer community, Daphna has been practicing meditation for more than twenty years. Singer, songwriter and guitarist, Daphna travels internationally training and initiating others her unique approach to sacred music.
Rebecca Schisler
Rabbi Daniel Raphael Silverstein
A native of England, Rabbi Daniel Raphael Silverstein received his ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School in New York, and is past Director of Jewish Life & Learning for Hillel at Stanford University. He is an accredited meditation teacher, and teaches at Pardes, Romemu Yeshiva, and the OU and is the founder of Applied Jewish Spirituality.org, a platform for online exploration of Jewish spirituality.
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